Question

What is the nlx method? How is it useful?

Answer 1

Hint: In quantum chemistry (chemistry described at atomic level) the electron distribution plays an important role, this electronic distribution is known as electronic configuration in chemistry. It is useful in finding out the valency for atoms.

Complete step by step answer:
The chemistry and physics studied at quantum or at atomic level is known as quantum chemistry or quantum physics respectively. In chemistry at this atomic level the electrons are distributed, it is a very important task and done carefully following some specific rules. This distribution of electrons in the orbitals of an atom following certain rules and regulations is known as electronic configuration.
Electronic configuration for an atom is done because it is very useful, it helps us to determine reactivity of that particular element, the valency of that atom, and the properties related to the group in which this element is present in the periodic table.
nlx is a method for notation of electronic configuration. It helps us to determine the four quantum values of a particular electron. ‘n’ indicates the principal quantum number, ‘l’ determines the sublevel and ‘x’ represents the number of electrons present in that sublevel.
Example: The number of electron present in Nitrogen atom are seven, therefore the electronic configuration for Nitrogen atom is as follows: \[{\text{1}}{{\text{s}}^{\text{2}}}{\text{2}}{{\text{s}}^{\text{2}}}{\text{2}}{{\text{p}}^{\text{3}}}\]
Here on this representation the integers present before the sublevels (s and p) are principle quantum numbers or we can say, s and p are the sublevels and the integers present on the head of sublevels are the number of electrons present in that particular sublevel.

Note:
In chemistry there are many ways to represent the electronic configuration for atoms roughly. But the two best ways for the representation are written below using an example:
Example: Electronic configuration of aluminium: \[{\text{1}}{{\text{s}}^{\text{2}}}{\text{2}}{{\text{s}}^{\text{2}}}{\text{2}}{{\text{p}}^{\text{6}}}{\text{3}}{{\text{s}}^{\text{2}}}{\text{3}}{{\text{p}}^{\text{1}}}\] or \[\left[ {{\text{Ne}}} \right]{\text{3}}{{\text{s}}^{\text{2}}}{\text{3}}{{\text{p}}^{\text{1}}}\]